Crystallized Daymare
by Asuka Kimi
Summary: While making herself stay away from him, Sasuke didn't realize Naruto didn't even see her as an option. And Naruto seriously doesn't like to compete for her affection, but he never back down from a challenge, be it against Neji or Itachi or... Sarada. AU, AR, female!Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke centric. Rating will go up.
1. Chapter 1

Howdy, this is the laziest fanfiction writer of the world speaking (typing). Here I say if you see any character names familiar to those of Naruto series, are obviously not mine, because they belonged to our good Mr. Masashi Kishimoto.

As you've read my bad summary, in this story _Sasuke is a girl_. Please note that one fact before proceeding or hit the "back" button. I must say writing gender-bending is not my forte. Made him/her act like one, hopefully I could pull that off? The reason why I wrote this story is because of a feeling for another story I wrote once in a blue moon that I may or may not post anywhere in the internet. So I enjoyed writing this story like others.

Warning (again): Rating will go up in unseen-able future (read: whenever I update the story further). AU, AR, **female!Sasuke**. **Neji is alive!** (I started to like him since... errr, when he was about to finish off Hinata in Chuunin Exam. No hard feeling about Hinata in general. It's not her fault she loved Naruto. And later became his wife, had his babies, continue his clan etc etc. This one was editors in SJ's fault, okay? Okay.)

Naruto and Sasuke centric. Pairings are... a lot? But it's mainly Naruto and Sasuke (hence "centric").

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_New version updated on December 19, 2016._

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**Chapter 1**

* * *

Naruto almost growled audibly when he practically flew out of the conference room as soon as the daimyo dismissed him, not bothering to stay for any more second with the old goat just to bid him a proper good bye. He had more important matter to attend to. For example, _Sasuke_ was currently atop the Hokage tower. Yes, Sasuke! After disappearing for almost two years since his marriage life with Hinata started, Sasuke was here, in Konoha!

Neji blinked when a blonde and white blur surged pass him. Only by reflex, he caught the Hokage robe Naruto discarded in his hassle, not stopping and just like that barged right through the open entrance of the tower's roof. The Hyuuga barely refrained himself from eyerolling behind his ANBU mask.

There, there was Sasuke! If his eyes tricked him by the unmistakable form of one Uchiha Sasuke, his sense would never fail in telling him that could only be Sasuke's presence he felt. Sasuke sat on the railing, her back to him, knees crossed to anchor her elbow, chin on the back of her palm, looking at the village from high up.

"SA—"

"Keep your voice down."

That was all Sasuke said to stop any more sound from him calling her name. Not the Sasuke he had been watching however, her cold tone was somewhere from Sasuke's right side. Naruto unconsciously swallowed at the sight of her shadow clone glaring at him. The soft breeze passed by from time to time would flutter her longer fringe covered the Rinnegan only confirmed that eye also narrowed at him. His attention was soon focused on the bundle her clone holding protectively even as it also missed an arm. Before he had any better glimpse, the real Sasuke filled his line of sight and hid the object of his fascination from view. His gaze went up to hers but Sasuke was looking at Neji, whom still stood guard at the roof top entrance way to make sure Sasuke was not disturbed by anyone _else_ (Naruto only trusted his own circle of friends to make sure Sasuke was alright in the village while he turned his back.)

"I'm leaving her with you for a while," Sasuke spoke to Neji, handing her clone a scroll. She looked impassively as it bowed after taking the item and walked over to the Hyuuga. "If something happened my clone would teleport you two back to me before it got dispelled," The Uchiha instructed.

"Very well," Neji inclined his head, letting the clone walked pass him first. His gaze lingered on Sasuke for a second longer before he turned and followed the clone.

Naruto frowned at Neji's retreating back until the ANBU captain was no longer in sight. He turned to Sasuke, seeing the Uchiha already adopted the previous seat she'd been earlier when he came. Naruto flopped down beside her on the stone baluster with legs outstretched dangling under him and hands braced on either side. He didn't mind the silence. It wasn't any day he got to be left alone by himself, and it was even rarer to have Sasuke around.

Sasuke would know if he looked at her, still didn't stop Naruto from sneaking a glance from the corner of his eyes. The rest of her figure was a mystery hiding under her cloak. Her face hardly betrayed what she was thinking. Her shoulder length hair had gotten longer than the last time he saw her, and that was a month before things with Toneri started. The occasion was, she felt like visiting Itachi's and her parents' graves before the snow got too thick. But that day was conveniently his birthday, and it wouldn't start snowing for another month! Imagine his surprise when he came back from the short mission to find a small box on the dinner table, next to a simple white card read _"Happy Birthday, Usuratonkachi"_ with no signature. Like hell anyone _else_ was even allowed to call him that and got away in one piece.

If Naruto hadn't flown around Konoha at top speed in his awesome _Kyuubi Mode_ searching and caught up to her, Sasuke would have gone off again without saying 'hi'. She helped around when he was inside Toneri's castle and left before he came back (despite her later excuse when he complained through her messenger eagle that there was no need to linger when she deemed the others could manage well enough at that point), excuse him for feeling a little hurt and annoyed because he thought she might want to avoid him.

Hell, Sasuke still didn't even look at him! Her clone gave him the evil eyes earlier, but that wasn't counted, it was not Sasuke herself! So because he could, Naruto sulked.

"If you have time to sit here and brood over nothing, start doing something productive." Sasuke remarked, not averting her gaze from the village below where various artificial lights started appearing with evening slowly shifting to night.

"Hello to you too," Naruto sniffed, jutted his bottom lip more.

"There had been two more villages disappeared since the last one I investigated before I came here." Sasuke moved her gaze, to Naruto's mild disappointment, she looked at the sky now with last rays of dusk decorated the darkening horizon. "Same as before, there was no trace of any person left. Those looked as if they were abandoned, but the obvious living activities remained spoke of another story."

"What is your theory?"

"I could only believe they all evaporated into thin air."

"And _you_ believe that?"

"Still having a knack for pointless questions I see."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth curled up and to Naruto's delight, her head tilted and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. He thought he had fallen into an abyss right then and there. '_Remember to breathe,'_ A voice in the back of his mind drawled with a snort, sound like Kurama.

The obsidian one that would never evolve into a Rinnegan like her own was Itachi's eye, but the person looked at him through it was Sasuke. How Sasuke with eye that was not hers could manage a distinctive gaze that was so… _Sasuke_. His inner musing had to cut short when her visible eye narrowed and turned away from him almost abruptly. He was so complaining Sasuke to turn her pretty face back at him now. And when Naruto opened his mouth to do just that—

"The common things of those villages are they were small, neutral and independent. What happens to them is not others' business. There is no specific pattern I can pick up to expect which will be the next target beside those of same classifications that are all over this country and others." Sasuke's lips thinned and drew a downward line. "Something can be happening now to somewhere as we speak."

Naruto heaved a sigh, applied pressure on the back of his neck with his bandaged hand. He hadn't been hoping to be spoiled by Sasuke of all people. That happened to be a big fat lie. Seriously, after almost two years not seeing each other's face, was it his fault wishing for something long lost friends supposed to do when they met again? Sasuke did _not_ have her name written in the list of his 'business partners' who was supposed to get to the point and go back to where they came from. Those mostly useless fussbudgets more often than not would try to draw out his hospitality to the longest they could while immensely overstaying their welcome under his roof. Sasuke was supposed to tear up at seeing his awesomeness and run into his manly arms telling him how much she missed him! He couldn't be the only one felt like doing just that at the sight of her pretty face and very misleading delicate lithe figure, damn it!

"Do I want to know why uncle Bee called you 'psycho suicidal woman' in the letter he sent me before you arrived?" Naruto asked instead.

"Are you planning to cut it out and tell me what he would like you to let me know?" Sasuke responded, unfazed by the insult and Naruto's sullen tone.

"He told me Gyuki said _"Damn"_ when I see you. But Kurama had been _"damn this damn that"_ while laughing his head off since." Naruto grumbled in confused annoyance. They blatantly kept something from him. Naruto cocked his head, eyes glazed, looking like he was staring into space. Sasuke knew Kyuubi was saying something to him. She didn't have to wait long. Naruto turned and wore a scowl aiming at her. "And now Kurama said _damn_ again and cackling like the lunatic fox he is while eavesdropping us. What the hell, Sasuke! You barged into the Raikage Tower demanded to talk with uncle Bee and the Raikage and then ordered them to investigate one of the disappeared villages nearest to theirs?! What if they pissed you off and lost their lives another time?!" Naruto slapped a hand on his forehead in exasperation by the end of his rant.

Sasuke ignored him and stood. "I'm taking my leave now."

"What?" Naruto's eyes widened in aghast then narrowed. "Where are you going?"

"I have done what I need to do here." She told him nonchalantly. Sasuke wouldn't do anything unladylike like shrugging shoulders because, well, she was a well-bred Uchiha princess after all.

"Like hell you do. Our friends are waiting for the home coming party. You are to be there, being the main reason for it." Naruto demanded with a huff after jumping down from the railing and stood crossing his arms facing her.

"I didn't remember asking for it," Sasuke said coldly, presented him her back when she turned around and walked to the exit. She stopped mid-step once he used Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of her. Sasuke took in his angry scowl, a portion of hurt could be a work of the young night light reflected in his deeper shade of sapphires for all she cared. Heat not of hers invaded her senses, from the way Naruto intruded her personal bubble and the grip he had on her wrist.

They were almost flat against each other. It only took one of them to lean forward a little less than _a little_ to make that happen. Sasuke stood still, felt and heard his breathing in her ears. The abnormal of his heartbeat was easy to pick up by their close intimacy, strong and fast, faster than the steady pace of hers, that was the reason she knew it was faster than it should be. She acknowledged the fact something she did or said affected him in a bad way, that seemingly all she did to him or it was just him having expressively attitude in most of the things she did. Sasuke found herself wonder if she was supposed to care, or was it just her wanting to incent him, to see _he_ cared despite all his complains about letting her roaming the world as she pleased without protection.

"Release me and move," Sasuke demanded in the same monotone with narrowed eyes, though her displeased was directed at her own selfishness more than his insistence.

That only got her wrist suffered a tightening of his grasp and his other arm warped around the small of her back to flatten her against him. The only sign of her surprise was how her eyes widened a bit before they hid behind closed pale lids.

Contrary to her relax posture in his arm, Naruto only embraced Sasuke with more certain and strength and something else with enough force to prevent himself from releasing her any time soon. It wasn't like he would entertain that idea for the time being, unless she issued a protest, which wasn't happening. But even then, he doubted he could respect her wish instantly._ "Stay."_

Sasuke was alone outside to God knew where, roaming and searching for information on whatever bullshits happened to the world supposed to be peaceful after the whole ordeal with wars and world dominations in the past. Naruto was so not looking forward to someone banging at his door one day, informed him something had happened to her behind his back.

"Stay," Naruto repeated himself, "Until we know what is happening and get it over with." His mouth caressed the soft skin where her neck met her jaw when he spoke. He practically feasted on her scent and presence to silence his own insecurities and restlessness that had been haunting him the longer and longer it took to hear from her in these years without a valid reason to chase after her like when they were both younger.

"And if I don't?" Sasuke questioned challengingly, pulled back as far as she could, which was not that much but enough to look at him, noticing the emotional something in his eyes before he willed it away with a blink.

"Are you going to fight your Hokage, turned the whole Konoha against you the second time, possibly the other four villages just to run away because you can't take a little bit of loving?" Naruto dared with a threatening undertone, belied the innocent puppy look his wide eyes sporting.

"How about I grab whatever between your legs and feed it to your mouth before I leave because apparently, I can't just cut off your head." Sasuke hissed warningly, not taking his bait.

"Such vulgar. And trust me you don't want to meet Hinata's wrath when we came down to that." Naruto chuckled lightly but his gaze was icily humorless.

Something flashed in the obsidian eye just then. Naruto had no more time to ponder on it when his nails dug into the underside of his own palm whereas it held Sasuke's hand captive earlier. He brought his bandaged hand up to catch her punch, and bit back a wince at the impact. That chakra enhanced blow was even stronger than Sakura's at her full strength and he knew Sasuke was holding back, _greatly_. _He_ would know.

Sasuke twitched her body in mid-air as if she weighted nothing, using the grip Naruto still kept her fist trapping in his hand to anchor an upside-down kick of her heel, forcing Naruto to counter with his other hand punched up, aiming her ankle to dissolve the chakra concentrated in her leg and grasped it immediately to unbalance her. His forming smirk was wiped off when he caught a glimpse of _hers_ half a second before the fist of Susano'o slammed at his chest. Naruto had to release Sasuke to cloak himself in _Chakra Mode_ before the collision started doing any unpleasant damage to him. Still, that pushed him a distance away from where Sasuke stood inside a part of an incomplete Susano'o she had called forth.

"I'd love it if we are sparing. But you are going to stop fighting me just because I want you safe." Naruto narrowed his eyes at her. He knew she didn't want to hurt him… much, but _he_ didn't want to hurt her, _at all_.

Naruto found the reflection of his eyes flashed in Kusanagi's blade before Sasuke was half a step from scoring a clean cut across his throat had he not jumped back in time, only for her to predict where his feet touched the ground next and appeared right behind him, whispered softly in his ears, "That chevalier act is going to cost your own life someday." Her _Chidori Nagashi_ went through his chest as soon as the last word left her lips.

Sasuke didn't look surprise as most of his daily sparing partners would. In fact, she was mildly unimpressed with his expected move by the way her facial expression remained calm and collected when Naruto dispersed after a poof of smoke. The real body was several feet away from his clone she'd destroyed.

"May be true, that," Naruto replied airily, he stood with legs slightly parted and hands fold over his torso. "But since it's you, _that_ won't happen."

"I've always wondered where all the confidence in understanding me came from," Said Sasuke. She slid through the air at terrifying speed, her lightning chakra covered Kusanagi sizzled loudly before thickening, turning a darker color from inside out, and changed to Dark Release.

Before the blade and Naruto's nature chakra Rasengan collided, they both stopped abruptly when sensing a pulse coursed through Sasuke. Naruto didn't know what happened to his friend but it was strong enough to get her missed a step, shocked into motionless, dissolved all her fighting spirit and chakra where she tumbled with glazed eyes all at once. Flicked his wrist to disperse Rasengan, Naruto rushed by her side and caught her before she fell.

Sasuke didn't look like she heard him calling her name in urgency, instead she wordlessly stepped away from his arms and snatched a scroll identical to the one she'd given her clone earlier inside her cloak. Her hand raised under her chin, positioned the scroll in between her thumb and forefinger, her pinky and ring finger folded, index and middle pointed up, Sasuke closed her eyes in concentration. It took less than one second, Naruto heard a poof and he was greeted by the sight of Neji with the same bundle Sasuke's clone had been holding earlier now securing like a national treasure in his arms appeared in front of her. The difference was, it had sound attached to it this time. The cry of an infant sound.

Sasuke hurried over to Neji and took the bundle from him almost immediately. The crying stopped as abruptly as it started.

"I'm sorry," Neji winced in apology, "I didn't see it coming when she hit your clone."

"It's okay," Sasuke assured him softly.

Naruto was taken by surprise at the way her eyes gently gazed at the precious thing she held in her arm. That was when he had a really good look at what seemed to be the center of her affection. An infant with raven hair, shade as dark as Sasuke's and eyes close in dizziness, small hiccups escaped the child from time to time, tiny hands clutching Sasuke as if life depended on her.

Naruto was not prepared himself for a constriction in his chest and the tightening in this throat one after another at the sight.

It was Neji who reminded Sasuke the presence of Naruto still standing next to her when the Hyuuga ANBU questioned what happened to the roof top that looked like an apocalypse just passed by. To Naruto's astonishment, the other male pulled his ANBU mask up, revealed half of his face and looked at him with disapproval in the pale eyes. When Naruto was about to open his mouth to tell Neji half of the blame did not belong to him, Sasuke straightened up and silently head to the exit.

"Oh no you don't!" Naruto growled under his breath and marched over to her.

Neji blanched at seeing his Hokage's expression and attempted to stop him before things got any uglier that it already was. "Naruto, wait!" He gripped Naruto's shoulder with one hand, hopefully getting the blond to calm down and called after the retreating female, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke stopped and looked over her shoulder at Neji, but her response also meant for Naruto, "I'm taking her for a walk." She was gone before either of the men could utter any further protest.

Neji removed his hand from Naruto's person when Sasuke was no longer in sight. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat to get the blond's attention. Naruto looked at him from the corner of his piercing dark sapphire eyes, demanding too many answers he knew it was not his place to give, and a fact some questions only Sasuke herself knew how to reply.

"Be patient with her," Was all Neji said before he left Naruto alone to himself.

* * *

"Sarada, say hello again to your uncle Itachi," Sasuke spoke gently to her child, eyes fixed on Itachi's name engraved in the Memorial Stone of Konoha Cemetery. Sarada squealed, hands out stretched and waved in the same direction as her eyes. Sasuke looked at the girl with a small smile gracing her lips.

Sasuke closed her eyes, thinking about the last memory of her clone before it dispatched. The sight of Hyuuga Hinata holding hers and Naruto's first born, the sound of Sarada's distress cry before her little chubby leg hit her mother's clone squarely on the chest. She would have to properly say thank to Neji later for catching her baby girl in time before Sarada managed to hurt herself.

"Did they resonate?" Sasuke wondered aloud.

"Could be."

If Sasuke was surprised at Naruto's voice answered her rhetorical question, she didn't show it. She glanced to her right at his relaxing form standing beside her. Naruto had his eyes on Itachi's name. Sasuke noticed the new fresh flowers on her brother's grave that were not from hers and certainly not there before she came. Naruto looked at her then. "We can feel each other's chakra always, was it really surprised you if our kids reacted the way they were?"

"I didn't think she would hate your son this much," Sasuke retorted, adding, "As expected of my daughter."

"You don't hate me like you made the world believe," Naruto muttered, turned his head away sulkily.

"Yes, I almost killed you only about several occasions."

"The keyword is _almost_, you psychopath."

"I've already been an international criminal. Killing you off now wouldn't promote me any further. Or perhaps they'll brand me nemesis of the world."

"No ally of mine will have your name in their Bingo Book, so your theory about the international criminal part was no longer valid. But make sure you have a reason I like to take my head next time." Naruto peered at Sarada from her side. He wore a frown at the girl's obvious ignorance of himself. "I swear your kid looked at me with evil eyes earlier."

"I used to tell her a story of one big bad blonde toad with blue eyes would laugh and paint her face ugly if she refused to sleep when she was supposed to. That got Sarada behave herself every time," Sasuke deadpanned.

"That was mean!" Naruto complained, "I am not the one who would ever paint my face unless it looked cool!"

Sasuke looked the other way.

"Not you too!" He whined openly.

"You are still a total idiot," She stated.

Naruto protruded his bottom lip and scowled. "There is nothing wrong with being an idiot."

"Not when you are Hokage."

"I am not wearing my robe. I am not on duty now." He defended.

"Very eloquent."

"Hello Itachi, after two years of not seeing my handsome face, your precious sister is still having a knack for being difficult." Naruto quipped audibly enough to reach the younger Uchiha's ears, squatting in front of the elder Uchiha's grave, an index-finger drew spiral pattern on the sandy ground.

"You will not use Itachi as your moping spot. Move." Sasuke ordered, looking down at him.

Again, voice in the back of his head sounded suspicious like Kurama remarked, _"If only you know!"_ Naruto efficiently drowned the babbling fox under water. Kurama showed him his middle paw before he completely got submerged.

Naruto stood up and patted imaginary dust off his pants. He studied the silent infant, seemingly sound asleep in Sasuke's arm. He bit his lower lip to control laughter when the girl peered at him under one of her slightly opened lid before closing it.

"Nice to meet you, little one. I am Uzumaki Naruto. The current world's number one important person of your mother." Naruto introduced himself with a blinding smile after clearing his throat.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow.

Sarada belched loudly.

One lone leaf waltzed pass them by a slightly chill breeze.

Silence followed.

Cold sweats ran profusely down the back of Naruto's neck while he tried to keep his thousand megawatts grin in place. Sasuke could already see the strain by several twitches of his eyes. Inwardly pondered it wouldn't hurt if she let him get tortured a little more only because she could, but exposing Sarada to the elements when night had fallen was not an entertaining idea. Before long, Sasuke sighed softly and caved.

"Sarada, this is Uzumaki Naruto, my best friend and the world's number one total idiot. Naruto, meet Uchiha Sarada, my daughter."

Naruto forced himself to relax and breathe normally, ignored the burning sensation in the back of his mind. He took Neji's words to heart. Be patient, and waited until she wanted to talk to him.

Sarada, for her part, pierced Naruto with wide onyx eyes that spoke of her belonging lineage to Sasuke. For a while the girl watched him in silent stillness, until she closed her eyes and slept for real in her mother's arm.

Oh she was the splitting imagine of Sasuke alright, from looks to first impression.

* * *

"Is there any particular reason you've been trying to lead me to the Uchiha District?" Sasuke asked after another of Naruto's obvious attempt to do just that.

"Yes. I was wondering when you will ask." Naruto grinned cheekily.

Sasuke didn't talk to him any more when they made their way to that destination at last after Sasuke finally decided to indulge him. If she did notice Naruto kept sneaking glances at her, she ignored it altogether too, like the way she paid no particular attention to the looks they got from the villagers when she walked around aimlessly with the Hokage (and earlier when she arrived, a Hyuuga ANBU Captain) strolling beside her like a guard dog. Those looks were far from the unpleasant kind, but Sasuke was not welcome it either. At least they kept their thoughts to themselves and behind her back, where she didn't bother to look. The bitter hatred didn't miraculously fade away just because both she and Naruto lost an arm in their last attempt to get through the other, she just stopped blaming them for living in ignorance, for the rest of their lives.

Naruto was nervous all of a sudden when they stood outside the Uchiha's main house. Sasuke's home. It was reduced to debris like the rest of Konoha under Pein's attack and the war followed really didn't help the reconstruction either. Sasuke had been here before she joined the battlefield, she knew what state it had undergone more than him. And then, the last Uchiha herself had demoted it into nothing with a look, _Kagutsuchi_, before she left to satisfy her vagabond tendency, _ahem_, journey to redemption. That was an ugly story he might entertain on another occasion while waiting for her messenger eagle, during the time he was bored to death buried under his Hokage duties.

The house was restored to the same way it had been, in waiting for Sasuke's return. Naruto had made sure that was all he wanted when he was asked about his war bounty, aside from his request to pardon Sasuke's crimes with the aid of Kakashi. Such understatement also was another ugly story of its own for another day. Seriously, people just assumed as long as they were alive they could just judge back the person who shared half the burden to keep them alive in the first place. It was their lucky day Sasuke had been standing beside him and kept him at bay or he would release all the nine Tail Beasts at every single of their greedy, ugly faces. Those old sissies dared call themselves 'Councils' when all they did, was cowered inside the village like commoners while the Five Kages and practically the whole ninja world fought together to defeat their mutual enemies! No matter, it took a while but he dethroned them as soon as he took over and freed Kakashi-sensei from his annoying Hokage jobs (because "Uzumaki Naruto had yet at the right age to be a Hokage," according to someone who wanted to take the _Sharingan and Rinnegan_ out of Sasuke's eye sockets.) No more nagging Councils, no more babysitting the old codgers, peace!

Sasuke's reaction to the sight of her home was a blink. She bowed slightly as if to look at Sarada but Naruto knew better. The way her long fringe covered her eyes from view was merely to hide the emotions going along with that barely visible smile on the corner of her lips.

"There is something meant to return to you," Naruto spoke after a while. Anxiety colored his voice and he squashed the urge to rub the back of his neck. Sasuke straightened and tilted her head, looking at him in genuine curiosity. The innocent reaction reminded him of a cat, but her elegant lethal nature belonged to another kind of carnivorous feline, a panther.

Naruto undid the first two buttons of his shirt and Sasuke saw him taking off a necklace wrapped loosely twice around his neck. It was a wonder how he kept it not getting tangled with Tsunade's gift. The long chain was crafted from white gold with two pendants attached to it. One was a house key made from the same material as the chain, the other was an artfully shaped of her Uchiha clan symbol made up of ruby and diamonds of various size outlined with a touch of platinum to keep the gemstones in place.

Naruto saw emotions warring in her eyes. The visible glistering pool of darkness shimmered put those twinkle stars somewhere up high in the sky to shame. He caught sight of water wetting her lower lash, threatening to fall. His hand lifted unconsciously to stop them before their wake began. Everything was like in slow motion, he was entranced witnessing her moment of rare vulnerability, and she was in stillness from not knowing how to deal with his once again unconditional devotion to her. The trance broke when her pale lids fluttered close. By the time Sasuke reopened her eyes, emotions carefully guarded behind thick layers of her genetic aloof demeanor and her tears had lost the chance to escape.

Naruto's hand suspended awkwardly between them. He recovered fast enough, lowered it to Sarada's level and offered, "May I?"

Something flashed in Sasuke's eyes again. Naruto stored the tiny bit of information at her momentarily hesitant in the back of his mind. She gently placed her child in his waiting arms, her fingers brushed his open palm briefly when she took the necklace from him.

Naruto couldn't understand what got into him when he had felt the urge to close his hand around those pale fingers. He felt a familiar connection between himself and the weight in his arms, that same feeling he had when he held Boruto for the first time, then Himawari. He didn't dwell on this wonder for long before his attention drew back to the former "last Uchiha".

He heard Sasuke took a deep breath before putting the key into its respective place to unlock the front door and held it open for him.

* * *

Sasuke led him to the veranda outside the living room, where Naruto situated himself comfortably on the wooden floor looking out at the well-taken care of garden and koi pond. He watched Sasuke summon two clones with one hand but his attention soon drew to the stump now visible when she took her cloak off on their way pass the kitchen earlier. Her artifact arm was with Tsunade until Sasuke wanted to take it, if she ever remembered about its existence at all. Sasuke sat across Naruto, one of the clone received Sarada from him and both of her clones left the room together.

It wasn't long until Naruto heard various thuds and yelling from all directions of the house. _Ooops_, he completely forgot about them…

The door to the living room slammed open and a scowling Kiba walked in with unintelligent arguments spilled from his mouth. The rest of their old academy friends followed after him, one of Sasuke's two clones earlier closed the door from outside once the group filled in and left again.

"Seriously I am the Inuzuka here! And I'm pretty sure there is no way you know where we are!" Kiba barked loudly. "Admit that fox-boy helped you!"

"You smell like dog, and I don't keep pet inside my house." Came Sasuke's cold reply.

"What did you say, you psycho woman!" Kiba pointed a rude finger at the real Sasuke's back.

"There is kid in the house. If you love that maw of yours you will know when to keep it shut. Preferably now."

"YOU—!"

"Now now," Kakashi raised his hands to stop Kiba from getting any more hyped up than he already was, "It's been too long since we gather. Don't make a scene now."

"Really, Kiba, can you even be polite with a girl at all?" Ino chastised the Inuzuka, petting his head playfully and pulled her hand back before he swatted it away.

"No wonder all the girls in Konoha ignore you." A giggling Sakura chirped.

Only to get said dog-lover's hackle raised.

"Don't start it, Kiba." Neji warned, walking passed them and took a seat beside Sasuke. Hinata followed after him and sat next to Naruto.

Sasuke ignored the fuss behind her since one of her clones kicked Kiba off his hiding place earlier. She inclined her head when Hinata softly greeted her and nodded to Neji. That was as far as she put an effort to acknowledge the addition bodies in the house before she went back to her own world again.

Distant memory flooded her mind eyes at the sight of the garden, in which she was a child running across the bridge over the pond when she caught sight of Itachi. Her brother had just come back from a long mission, and she had wanted to get to him the fastest way possible, not looking where she stepped on.

Sasuke didn't realize her expression changed, the sudden presence of her smile, caught both Neji and Naruto by surprise of how melancholic as it was beautiful.

Itachi, eyes widened seeing her tripped clumsily over her own feet. A splash. Her eyes opened to see the front of her brother's attire soaked because they had landed in the middle of the pond. His arms around her, holding her close, asking her frantically if she was hurt as he checked her over while fear ate her inside and materialized in form of the droplets rolling down her cheeks. For all she knew, she might have hurt her precious brother because of her foolishness. Neither of them remembered about the fishes hastily hid wherever they thought was safe from the invasion to their shelter.

_I was a fool to believe in what laid before my eyes when you stood in front of our dead parents that night too._ Sasuke murmured unconsciously, "I'm sorry, Itachi…"

Naruto's hands curled into fists at Sasuke's unshed tears, her sardonic smile, the longing in her voice. But what bothered him most, causing his eyes to narrow, was Neji's hand covering hers. Sasuke didn't acknowledge the gesture from the Hyuuga man, but she didn't refuse his comforting touch either.

Hinata observed her husband. Despite how he had become hard to read when expectations raised more and more the moment he took the Hokage robe, his heart still wore on his sleeve whenever Sasuke was concerned. And now, with Sasuke in sight, she had no idea if Naruto realized he never looked at her, or anyone else, the same way he always looked at Sasuke. That look was far from the way she had always been watching him from afar back then, far from the way she gazed at him now. One with unconscious, purely instinct in its intimate possessive nature that was still so raw, proudly declared Sasuke might not be the center of the world but she was, of his own. Hinata could only sit here and do nothing despite who she was to him.

Because between Naruto and Sasuke there was no place for anyone else, since forever.

Just like no one but themselves could fully understand their bond, which was said to be the strongest in this world where life and death had once been in the mercy of their hands.

TBC.

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Maybe I would update this story once a year due to my laziness. Joking.

Reviews are loved.


	2. Chapter 2

**Naruto** **© Kishimoto Masashi**

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**Chapter 2**

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"Finally!" Naruto cheered loudly as he stretched out, groaning when his muscles popped pleasantly and dropped his back on the wooden floor of the veranda, hands spread at his side.

Sasuke walked back to the living room after seeing their friends off for the night. She stared at the lounging blond blankly before taking her seat beside him. Neji had to escort Hinata home after Naruto declared he would stay with Sasuke a little longer. Before anything could be said further, Sasuke asked Neji if he would mind coming back here after he was done with Naruto's supposed-duty. The male Hyuuga nodded in silent confirmation then left with his cousin. Hinata would have excused herself earlier if her husband hadn't told her to bring their children to the Hyuuga main house beforehand, knowing the head of Hyuuga Clan would never mind spending time with his grandchildren for a night or any day of the year.

"I'm leaving Sarada with Sakura the next time I'm off. It is unwise to expose her to unnecessary danger when she's with me." Sasuke voiced, breaking their companionable silence.

"I can take care of your girl too, you know." Naruto bit back in annoyance, slightly miffed that he hadn't been considered as a viable choice.

"You mean _Hinata_ can while you, being the Hokage, hardly have time for your _own_ children?" Sasuke corrected him, pleased when he slightly twisted in guilt at the emphasis contained her answer to his unsaid question, "You have your duties to do and her hands are already full taking care of your children mostly by herself. While I am going to be occupied, Sakura is my best bet in this temporary arrangement."

Still somewhat stung but unable to argue with Sasuke's solid point, Naruto huffed and muttered under his breath, "Fine."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto from the corner of her eyes. He had turned to his side, back facing her, not hiding the fact that he was sulking. She sighed and looked at the night sky in its velvet-like, bottomless abyss. The weather was getting colder, it wouldn't be long until the first snow started falling any day now.

"If it makes you feel better, on several occasions I used to leave her with Karin, who you certainly know is staying with Orochimaru." Sasuke admitted.

Naruto sat up abruptly at that, gawking at the Uchiha in disbelief. "The only 'Orochimaru' we both happen to know is also the one who didn't mind letting you walk around with your shirt half-opened most of the time. How am I, pray tell, supposed to feel better with that information?!" He demanded indignantly.

"You are being dramatic," Sasuke told him with a humor undertone, "Despite who and how he is, I often find myself being spoiled by him most of the time before and even after I killed him once. Besides, he knows more about parenting than the world gives him credit for."

"Uuhh… o-kay?" Naruto drawled dubiously.

"I would never leave her anywhere near the people I don't trust." Sasuke turned to look at him in the eyes. The way her lids lowered a little, the way her hair fluttered by the chilly night breeze momentarily revealed her Rinnegan, the way her lips curled in a smile lacking her usual condescension, the way her expression softened as a result, all accompanied her light tone when she spoke more for his peace of mind than the need to justify her course of action to him, was plenty enough to put an end to his disturbance.

And suddenly, the silence became awkward to him. On Sasuke's part, she was fine with it now that she had done her talking while Naruto was struggling because he felt like he should say something. Apology for doubting Orochimaru in turn doubting her own judgement? He was not sorry for doubting Orochimaru but he did felt bad for doubting her. But then Sasuke tilted her head slightly and still smiling at him and just like that, a silent understanding passed between them, and Naruto knew he had no need for words anymore.

Sasuke stared at the blond for a while until Naruto caught an impish glint in her normally cold obsidian orb. His mouth opened for inquiry only to let out a high-pitch shriek deafening enough that Neji had to shove an _onigiri_ down his throat to shut him up.

Naruto thumbed his chest frantically with a fist, trying to swallow the food, almost turned purple from suffocation in the process. "What was that for!?" He screeched, pointing an angry finger in Sasuke and the suddenly-reappeared Hyuuga's direction who just assaulted him out of the blue.

"I see you are the real body and not a Shadow Clone." Sasuke hummed in feigned surprise.

"Of course I am not! I've been here the whole time and _you_ know it!" Naruto yelled, shaking a fist at her but retained enough sense to not picking a fight right here, right now only because it was very late and the neighbors were sleeping. He was lucky no one started waking up from his noises because the house was secluded enough to maintain a certain level of privacy.

"You are too loud," Neji remarked dismissively in explanation of his deed.

Naruto gingerly rubbed his sore and swollen cheek, glaring darkly at Sasuke, who was ignoring him and did a very good job at it. "You didn't have to pull it that hard and whatever happened to asking nicely?" He mumbled moodily.

In response Sasuke crossed her legs, the tip of her toes slightly teased the grass below with her perching on the edge of the veranda, elbow on her knee, chin propped on the back of her hand and looked at him from the corner of her eyes with a very familiar superior smirk.

As expected, Naruto's hackle raised and he opened his mouth decidedly to give her a very colorful piece of his mind. To hell with the hour and sleeping infants and neighbors.

"Stop that, Naruto." Neji cut his cousin-in-law off before the irritated blond could bark any word with an admonishing frown, removed his ANBU mask and flopped down on the other side of Sasuke, breathing out wearily as soon as he seated.

"You should listen to your ANBU Captain whose responsibility is your own safety, Naruto. It is already his _fate_ to babysit you on daily basis, do not be a burden to him at night too." Sasuke chirped, mimicking the tone of a mother reprimanded her misbehaving child.

Neji gave the Uchiha a cross look with enough accusation to convey she was helping his situation as much as Naruto without wasting his breath to say it aloud.

"Neji could have returned home and slept already if only you hadn't called him back!" Naruto pointed out, growing like a pissed off canine. "And you sound like a woman it is ridiculous!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Are you under the impression that I am somewhere in the gray area between a male and a female all these time to forget I am indeed a woman?"

"Could have fooled me," Naruto retorted, scoffing.

"Ah, my bad. Now I remember how I lost my arm. Who would do that to a woman in the first place. Am I right, Neji?" Sasuke lifted her chin, looking down her nose at Naruto and enjoyed watching the blond shrink in humiliation at the reminder.

"Leave me out of your squabble." Neji groused and pinched the area between his brows, wondering why he signed up for this again or if it was written somewhere in his job description that he had overlooked.

Naruto crossed his arms defensively and huffed. "I'd rather you and I both lose an arm than losing _you_," The blond grumbled sourly.

Because Naruto had turned away from Sasuke due to the embarrassment caused by his admission that he missed the sight of her eyes softened at those words from how much they meant to her. The privilege fell on Neji who had been discreetly keeping a watchful eye on their interactions. It dawned on him since the moment he arrived, the reason Sasuke had requested his presence back here was because of Naruto. Even after everyone went home she was still in plain sight, maintaining a respectable distance with Naruto like how friends should be. The low wall outlining the house would provide every passerby a clear view of what they were doing. No frolicking behind closed doors. No sneaking physical contacts in the shadow. No spoken words gave away any innuendo that they were sharing a secret guilty pleasure behind his cousin's back where her husband was in the house of a single mother with child at wee hour. While Naruto went as far as placing ANBUs to keep Sasuke safe and undisturbed inside the village, Sasuke had been protecting Naruto in her own way too, by making sure there was no ammunition could be formed to use against his image and social status as a Hokage when he was seen with her. These were witnessed by someone whose blood related to his wife, an important figure in his own inner circle, one of the many who knew him on a personal level, grew up with him, watched him get to where he was today and pledged loyalty with him altogether.

It was as if Sasuke had been challenging the conspiracy against her and Naruto, to catch them, while it was also without doubt that they cared for each other, a lot, more than friends did, even more than lovers did, and all the even more than a family did. If there was something that could make someone both envy and admire at the same time, Neji believed what before his eyes would be more than suffice.

Naruto and Sasuke certainly involved in a relationship, but it was too vague and too much to be given a precise name.

"I seriously can't imagine Orochimaru as a parent figure. That's so wrong in many ways!" Naruto complained, pulling Neji from his musing.

"You will understand when Mitsuki is old enough to live here on his own," Sasuke said in attempt to get the blond off the topic, knowing it was a lost cause with persuading Naruto otherwise until he saw it with his own eyes.

"Who is Mitsuki?" Naruto asked dumbly.

"His son." The Uchiha deadpanned.

…

…

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

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"I don't think it is a bloodline limit because Orochimaru would have his hands on it as soon as his nose sniffed that out. I've told him to research on the matter to see if there is a possible combination to make that happen however, I highly doubt it. Even Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan could only do so much," Sasuke recited, eyes narrowed at her reflection in the steamy tea cup she was holding. "Not to mention hiding such amount of people from prying eyes for this long time has already proven how ridiculous this situation is. It may be something bigger than you lot can feel comfortable with."

"_You_ _lot_." Naruto repeated.

"So far it seems to avoid the five large hidden villages while spiriting away your neutral neighborhoods, that's why I am assuming. I have done what I could while I was there, now we wait for words from your Eight Tails friend and his companions."

It appeared to Naruto that Sasuke had openly requested assistance, going against her lone wolf style. And that she was working with others, among them was one of the Kages she once wanted to eliminate to create her own ideal world peace. It brought a smile on his face, oddly pleased despite the occasion.

"I sincerely hope I will not have to move back there because they can't run some simple errands."

One eye twitched, his smile became strained. Naruto hoped Sasuke would do away with her meanie-ness, though.

"Hold on," Naruto raised his hand and looked at Sasuke with a solemn expression when something clicked in his mind. "Are you telling me people suddenly disappeared, like, they were _transported_ to _somewhere_?" He implied, remembered that unpleasant experience when Sasuke was taken from his side to another God-knows-where _dimension_ right before his eyes by a certain grandma whose existence and capacities were beyond mortally acceptable.

Sasuke shifted her narrowed gaze to him and back to her drink, knowing he had successfully caught up to her train of thought. "We are going to pray this is merely paranoia, Naruto."

However, what Naruto had yet to realize was, Sasuke had already used Killer B and Eight Tails as bait to test her theory. Of all _Jinchuuriki_s and Tail Beasts, the synchronization between Killer B and Eight Tails was the best until they were rivaled by Naruto and Nine Tails. She had no intention to put Naruto in any form of danger while there was another good option that could also get the work done. Besides, if the situation ever became ugly, Killer B had enough dirty tricks in his sleeves to get himself out of it. If he couldn't, she would live with the reassurance that the one was sacrificed had not been Naruto even if that might result in him never forgive her for the rest of his life. And that was fine with her.

It occurred to Sasuke that perhaps, she was becoming the second Shimura Danzo.

Sasuke closed her eyes and exhaled, noting the fatigue in her breathing. She set the untouched tea cup down by her side and walked the short distance to the pond, her back facing the two men who silently kept track of her movements. "Go home, Naruto," She told the blond, before said person started filling his protest, she continued, "I need rest."

The finality in her voice told him he was dismissed, no buts. Something also whispered in his ears to not leave her alone, that his presence was both unwanted and needed to her at the moment, that the sudden spike of negative emotion in her charka flow despite her expression betrayed nothing, was because of him.

Sensing his reluctance, Sasuke turned around to face Naruto. "I'll see you in your office tomorrow."

Knowing he lost the argument before it had the chance to start, Naruto did something he hadn't in two years. He puffed his cheeks and protruded his lips, _pouting_. "Hmph, fine! I'm going home!" And left in a blur of orange and yellow flash.

That lasted exactly one and a half second before the same orange and yellow flash returned, landing noisily before her, invading her personal bubble. "Goodnight, Sasuke. And see you _tomorrow_." Naruto started at her pointedly, emphasized that it was a promise instead of her meaning to get rid of him and that he would be more inclined to chase after her like those years ago if she ever broke it before taking off again, not waiting for her reply.

Sasuke breathed out in annoyance when the idiot was no longer in sight. "_Usuratonkachi_," She insulted with an unmistakable affection undertone, and if no one had been able to pick that up, the smile she was sporting would give them enough hints to feel that.

Even so, it had appeared completely platonic despite it could very well have been something more.

Sasuke didn't react so much as tensing when Neji wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed his chest to her back, clearly implying she would not lean on him. She would not lean on anyone in that matter.

"I don't like this feeling," The Hyuuga whispered mostly to himself, rested his chin on her shoulder. When the woman in his arms didn't grace him with any word, he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. "Even when I am doing this, there is still nothing between us. But you and Naruto, while you are acting as friends should be, there is so obviously something more."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth curled up in a half-smirk. "You are jealous," She observed.

"It is hard not to," Neji stated, "Seeing the person you like with another person, and that another person happens to be the one you have no reason to, not to mention _can't_, hate. I have started wondering if it ever possible to get through your walls and be someone like Hinata-sama to Naruto, to you."

"Perhaps."

Sasuke didn't straight forwardly refuse his advances and not actively dissuading him either. But then she turned around in the circle of his arms and their eyes locked. "Perhaps," She started again, "When you are no longer feeling the burden of your gratitude that I am the one who gave you the second chance at life after losing it to protect the two persons you hold dear. Perhaps," She tilted her head, moving her gaze above his eyes and raised her hand, the tip of her fingers slightly touched the center of his forehead, "I am seeking an answer in you, that you can be free of the curse you were born to carry, that the same day you almost killed Hinata by hatred was nothing but a mistake of those who had long dead, and that by maintaining their own peace of mind was in truth leading their next generations into destruction. Neji," Her hand slid downward to cup his cheek, "You showed me the result of freedom you have chosen to lead your own life by deciding for yourself how you want to die, unknowingly enforced my belief that there is a need for sacrifice in order to make change for the better." She smiled nostalgically, "Though Naruto destroyed it along with a part of myself, at the cost of mine and his arm. Perhaps, the reason for you standing here very much alive, is nothing but my own selfishness and my unwillingness to stop believing in what I am hesitating to give up. There is no need for you to feel like you are obligated to do anything for me."

"Even so," Neji covered Sasuke's hand with his and lightly squeezed it, "I find myself looking at you more and more than I should be as a friend. Perhaps as that living materialization part of you, there may be a chance for me yet."

Sasuke closed her eyes for several heartbeats and when she reopened them, could only once again echoed her earlier word, "_Perhaps_."

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A/N: This chapter has made its appearance thanks to the reviews, favorites, follows in FFN and comments, kudos in AO3, especially those I have received more recently in this year. I have no intention to update any of my Naruto fanfictions due to many reasons. I became out of sync with Naruto in general after watching "Boruto: Naruto the Movie". Strangely enough, it made me feel a fulfillment that the "Naruto -The Last-" had failed, for obvious reason. I had no idea why there was a Boruto Movie followed after "Naruto -The Last-" where the final verdict of pairings came into light after chapter 700. Yes, I say "verdict". Because I feel like it was a sentence of some sort to those who had not shipped Naruto/Hinata and Sasuke/Sakura, that alone was enough to get me give up on Naruto. Until the Movie for Boruto came around. It was the time I realize something, despite it had been a pure fan-service to those who still wanted to see some Naruto and Sasuke actions and find it in themselves to _care_, that even if Hinata was Naruto's wife, apparently she was second in compare to Sasuke because thanks to his very (humanly questionable) special bond with Naruto (and vice versa), she didn't end up being a widower at young age. And how much of Sakura we got to see in that movie? It was like a laugh in the face that Boruto, son of Naruto and Hinata, wanted to be like Sasuke and in turn Sarada, daughter of Sasuke and Sakura, wanted to be like Naruto. So maybe there is a bright future for the kids yet, who knows some day they will truly merge Naruto and Sasuke's blood into one entity if there will be an interesting enough story about that.

Personally to me, it would have not been so bad if Naruto had forever stopped at chapter 699. For now I'm through with Naruto.

Thank you for reading this story at whenever it is after this chapter was posted and will then be so kind as taking your time to leave me your thoughts or a short or long reminder that I had started it quite some time ago, I really appreciate it.

See you around,

Asuka K.


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